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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  3. When was this ________________ built?
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. dip — to dunk
  3. temple — a place of worship
  4. face — to confront
  5. present — a gift
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. present — the time now
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. rule — a law
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. fall — the season
  12. face — to point toward
  13. rule — government
  14. face — part of the head
  15. dip — to sink
  16. fall — to drop
  17. scale — size or range
  18. fall — to drop
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. present — there
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. temple — a place of worship

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com